Floatation devices are generally worn by users to enhance buoyancy. Some floatation devices are shaped like a garment to enhance comfort. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,199 to Grunstein et al. discloses a garment made of ultra-violet resistant material having buoyant panels adjacent the front and rear portions of the garment.
The Grunstein et al. '199 patent also discloses a roll of soft floatation material positioned adjacent a neck portion of the garment to keep the chin of the user above water. The garment includes leg portions and a zipper adjacent the rear portion, which extends from an upper portion of the garment, halfway down, to the leg portion of the garment. Thereafter, the rear of the leg portion of the garment is closed. The zipper is moveable between opened and closed positions. A user may, however, find it difficult to put the garment on, especially when wet. Further, positioning buoyant panels adjacent the rear portion of the garment may cause a user to float in the water with their back upwards, i.e., face-down, which defeats the purpose of the roll of floatation material positioned adjacent the neck.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,051 to Galecke discloses a buoyant life jacket including a series of articulated fabric covered buoyant panels adjacent the front and side portions thereof, and a rear portion comprising lightweight open mesh fabric. A vertical closure is positioned adjacent the front portion of the life vest. A vertical closure adjacent the front portion of the life jacket, however, is disadvantageous as it allows for a younger user, i.e., a child, to readily remove the life jacket.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2005/0079778 by Johnson et al. discloses a personal floatation device including front and back covered segments incorporating multiple layers of buoyant material. The personal floatation device includes an upper portion adjacent the torso of a user, and a lower portion to engage the legs of a user. The device also includes a zipper closure that is moveable between opened and closed positions adjacent the upper portion of the device.
Again, and similar to the Grunstein et al. '199 patent, a user may find it difficult to put the device on, especially when wet. Also, positioning the buoyant panels adjacent the rear portion of the garment may cause a user to float in the water with their back upwards, i.e., face-down.